Hardwood floors are a popular choice in home renovations as they are designed to be durable and look great when they’re clean and polished.
However, frequent foot traffic produces dirt and grime that begins to accumulate on hardwood, causing the floors to look dirty and in need of some TLC.
If you’re new to having hardwood floors then you might be wondering: How do you get mud off hardwood floors?
In this article, WFC gives you a step-by-step guide on how to get mud off hardwood floors and some tips on how to keep them clean.
Keep reading to find out more.
How do you get mud off hardwood floors?
Hardwood floors require frequent cleaning and maintenance to prevent grime and debris from scratching and denting the wood.
A guide on how to get mud off hardwood floors
Equipment that you’ll need
- A vacuum cleaner
- A clean mop bucket
- A cotton cleaning cloth
- A clean terry cloth
- A commercial wood floor cleaner
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1-gallon of warm water
Instructions
Step 1: Begin by sweeping the floor thoroughly or cleaning with a vacuum cleaner. This will ensure that you remove any loose dirt and grime from the floor’s surface before you begin to clean and polish the floors with your cleaning solution.
Step 2: Next, you will need to take 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and pour it into a clean mop bucket. Add 1 gallon of warm water to the mop bucket.
Step 3: Dip a cotton cleaning cloth in the vinegar solution making sure that you wring out any excess liquid from the cloth.
Step 4: Wipe the cloth over a 3-by-3-foot section of the wood floor to remove dirt and grime buildup. You’ll be surprised how quickly the cloth becomes dirty as it’s picking up grime, so make sure that you are frequently rinsing the cloth with warm water.
Step 5: You will need to thoroughly dry the 3-by-3-foot section of the floor immediately with a clean terry cloth.
Step 6: Repeat the cleaning process on each section of the hardwood floor, making sure that you thoroughly dry each section.
Step 7: Inspect the wood floor for remaining residue or grime. Use a commercial wood floor cleaner to remove difficult grime and discolored finishes, according to the cleaner manufacturer’s directions.
It’s important that you dry the floors properly and do not let them air dry. Leaving your hardwood floor to air dry can lead the wood to warp.
Once you have cleaned your hardwood floors, you will want to ensure that they stay clean by taking the following steps in your daily life.
How do you remove scuff marks from hardwood floors?
Unfortunately, the reality of having hardwood floors in your home is that they can be susceptible to scuff marks over time.
When you move furniture around your home or wear shoes indoors, you may notice scuffs beginning to appear on your hardwood floors as a result of this.
That being said, scuff marks can easily be rubbed away with some elbow grease, so fret not! To remove light scuffs, there are a few methods that you can use to buff them out.
- Buff them out with a sock – Simply use a clean sock to buff out the scuff marks on your hardwood floor.
- Tennis ball – Using a tennis ball to rub over the scuff mark should remove it. If you’d rather avoid being low to the ground, you can always attach the tennis ball to the end of the broom by cutting an X on the ball and pushing the broom through.
- Wet sponge – Using a wet sponge to gently buff the surface of the floor will work to remove any scuff marks your floor has.
- Rubber eraser. Using an eraser from your kids’ school supplies to erase the scuff mark couldn’t be easier. If this isn’t enough, you can find sturdy scruff erasers at hardware stores relatively easily.
Tips for keeping your hardwood floor cleaner for longer
Vacuum the hardwood floor regularly
One of the easiest ways to ensure that your hardwood floor remains cleaner for longer is to vacuum them regularly. Nothing removes dirt and fine debris from the cracks and crevices of a wood floor quite like a good-quality vacuum cleaner.
Vacuums are able to suck up dirt you wouldn’t otherwise be able to with a broom and work to clean any surface that is dirty.
Keep your shoes off the hardwood floor
Dirt and grit are abrasive, which can scratch your hardwood floors over time.
Taking your shoes off immediately once you’re through the door is a good way of managing how dirty and damaged your hardwood floors become.
This small and simple act goes a long way to eliminate all of the tracked-in dirt that can ruin the appearance of your beautiful wood floor’s finish.
In addition to this, socks are much softer than shoes on your hardwood floors, meaning that you won’t have to worry as much about your floors becoming scratched.
Clean up any spills immediately
This sounds like an obvious one, but one of the easiest ways to maintain your hardwood floors is to clean up any spills you have immediately.
Accidents happen and spills are inevitable, but if you let them dry on your hardwood floor they’ll dull the beautiful finish and attract additional dirt.
As a result, you should always make sure that you clean up spills immediately by blotting them with an absorbent cloth. Follow up with a damp paper towel to remove any residue and buff dry.
In summary
Staying on top of the cleaning and maintenance of your hardwood floors is the key to keeping them looking polished.
Make sure that you follow these simple steps to help you clean and maintain your floors after they’ve been cleaned. This will keep them in a good condition and help you to reduce the amount you need to clean.